This invention relates to a method of forming a tire carcass, and more particularly, to such a method which utilizes winding and wrapping of elements about a core member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,921 issued to Grawey (assigned to the assignee of this invention) discloses a novel oval pneumatic tube-tire. Such tire is generally constructed by forming an oval toroidal tube member of elastomer material on a disintegrable core, winding inextensible filament about the toroidal tube member, and applying further layers of material to form the final tube-tire as illustrated therein. The core is then disintegrated and removed from within the tube-tire.
Generally, in the manufacture of conventional type tires described in that patent, a relatively large amount of hand labor is used. In the fabrication of such conventional tires, the tire is built on a cylindrical drum of laboriously wrapping plies of liner, rubberized reinforcing fabrics, cords or filaments to form a flat endless belt on the surface of the drum. It will be understood that improper application of such layers can lead to defects in the finalized tire, and also to a lack of uniformity between tires. Thus, there is considerable need for improvement in uniformity of tires, as well as need to improve reliability in the final tire product, both of which suggests the need for automatic processes of tire manufacture.
U.S. application Ser. No. 351,779, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,183 (assigned to the assignee of this invention), discloses a wrapping machine capable of helically wrapping elastomer material and wire about a toroidal core member. In the use of such machine, it will be understood that it is extremely desirable to arrive at a highly efficient and simple wrapping operation resulting in the formation of tire carcasses which overcome the above-cited problems.
Of general interest in this area are U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,853 to Reinhart, U.S. Pat. No. 1,213,600 to Dunkerley, U.S. Pat. No. 1,248,871 to Kremer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,146 to Warner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,302 to Lang, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,150 to Alexeff.